


Not Entirely Unexpected

by airbear



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: ??? - Freeform, Actually Please Do, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Break Up, But even then it's because of Markus, Connor has all the fluff, Connor is still a sassy bitch, Connor isn't taking any of your shit, Could you call it mental illness, Domestic Fluff, Don't worry, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hank and Connor are fluffy, Hank and Connor live together, Help, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Made Myself Cry, I Tried, I cant write it to save my life, I edit this obsessively, I hate myself, I'm Sorry, Im so sorry markus, M/M, Markus cries a lot, Markus fucked up, Markus needs a break, Markus snapped, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Mental breakdowns in androids, My First Work in This Fandom, No Smut, Pacifist Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Please Don't Kill Me, Please Kill Me, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), RK1000 - Freeform, Sloow buurn, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, There's too many tags but i dont care, Well until he doesn't, and i mean really needs a break, does this even make sense, i can't write, i need to stop, i'm writing the whole story in the tags, im a horrible person, kind of, my poor baby Markus, oh my god I just realized, oh no, specifically markus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-06-07 19:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15226593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airbear/pseuds/airbear
Summary: Detroit is in a state of some-what anarchy after the Android revolution, which leaves Markus with a shit ton of work, and Connor bunking in with Hank. But, after Markus bites off more than he can chew, things start to go downhill in his mind, and with his girlfriend. And by "start to go downhill", I mean a full 90-degree drop downhill and Markus's mental integrity goes to shit in less than a week.Luckily, things seem to be working out well with the politics part of things, and with Cyberlife having gone radio silent and many supplies left abandoned outside the facility for android consumption, people start to have hope.But, like always, politics aren't what they seem, and when Connor and Hank discover something that could turn the tides of the revolution, they may just be in over their heads.They only hope they figure it out before everyone is out of time.





	1. The good, the bad and the ugly

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, my friends. First, let me sincerely apologize for what you're about to read. It's really bad but I wanted to be the change I wanted to see in the world, so I decided to write my own fic with the content I wanted. Mind you, I haven't written a fic since I was like 12, and that one made me want to die. So, I'm guessing this one will too. Also, trigger warning for any of y'all with suicidal thoughts like myself. You might not listen to me, but at least I warned you.  
> I spent the good majority of a day writing this bitch of a first chapter, so I hope you like it hahaha kill me.  
> Also, any plot holes you see in these chapters, or inconsistencies that you notice, please let me know. I say this a lot, but I'm a perfectionist haha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XD uwu

Connor almost can't believe it. Everything they'd been working toward – everything and everyone they'd lost – it will achieve something after all. All those lives given. All those androids murdered just because people can't keep an open mind. All because humans are terrified of change- and this was a change bigger than anything of late. Deep down, Connor always knew it would achieve something, he had that much faith in Markus. But still, knowing that androids from all over are being freed from their slavery, it fills Connor with a sense of happiness that seems to bubble up from deep inside of him, like a spring on a rocky cliffside. He can't seem to hold back the smile on his face, as he thinks about this, a grin slowly tugging at the corners of his mouth. It'll be a lot of work before they can be truly at peace, but it's a start. His people are free.

"Whacha' smiling' at there kid?"

A voice, belonging to none other than Lt. Hank Anderson, startles him from his thoughts. Hank had met up with him just over half an hour ago, after all the insanity with the revolution, and Connor hadn't really known what to expect from it. After the doppelganger incident at the cyberlife tower, he doesn't really know what to expect from Lt. Anderson at all anymore. Sure, he has his programs and most likely outcomes, but when they met, out of all the things he had come up with, a hug wasn't exactly one of them. It was enjoyable though. Hank was his partner. He'd spent many hours with the man and had grown quite fond of him. He had thought they might talk, which they did, thought that he would get maybe a pat on the back. But a hug seemed out of the question, at least to Connor. Maybe he isn't as smart as he thought he was. Connor turns his upper torso toward Hank, making sure he can see him even though they are seated on opposite sides of the metal table.

"Nothing at all, Hank." He sighs, leaning his cheek on his hand.

Then he turns his attention to the bag of mixed nuts that Hank has pulled out of his pocket. Connor raises a playful eyebrow at his grumpy partner.

"Cleaning up our act are we, Lieutenant? Is there a special occasion I wasn't aware of?" he says, tilting his head to the side in mock curiosity.

Hank grunts and takes a handful, stuffing it in his mouth like an upset toddler "fuck off, Connor."

Connor sniffs with a laugh, a small smirk playing its way to his lips. Connor knows they are no longer in law enforcement, but Hank will always be Lieutenant Anderson to Connor.

"I never thought I'd see the day"

Hank flips him off. He proceeds to eat his nuts grumpily, even more grumpily than before if that's possible.

Connor is in a very giggly mood today it seems. He lets a quiet chuckle slip.

Hank grunts, turning away from Connor, who has now had something else catch his attention. The snow.

They sit like that for a while. Hank eats and Connor watches the snow. He loves the way it sparkles and glints on the ground like a dazzlingly white blanket. Even in the dreary atmosphere, with all the destruction and unrest, the snow still manages to remain unblemished in its beauty.

"So, uh, Connor..." Hank trails off fiddling with his coat zipper, as Connor looks up from where he was quite fixedly staring at the snow.

"Yes, Hank?"

"What...what're you gonna do? After all this I mean"

Connor frowns

"I'm not quite sure I know how to answer your question, Hank. I have no place to stay, besides Jericho, and as much as Markus encouraged my stay, I really did not feel welcome there by anyone but him. In the 13 days that I spent with them, it really did not seem like that's where I was supposed to be." _That's a lie "_ I hardly even saw Markus. So, I suppose my first task is to find a place to live."

Hank scoffs, putting the bag back in his pocket, and turns his full attention to Connor. Connor senses a small smile come to his face, though he attempts to hide it with nonchalance.

"Bah, that’s easy. You can crash at my place. Well, I guess you androids don't really need sleep, but if you need a place to stay...

Hank trails off again, and Connor beams at him.

"Thank you, Hank. That means a lot to me. I promise I will be as much service to you as possible during my stay."

Hank grumbles, a bit flattered, a bit grumpy and a bit drunk

"No need to make yourself my fuckin' nanny, Connor. Just...stay with me til' we can get a stable job and they give y'all some fuckin' wages. Got it?"

Connor feels himself smile yet again. He knows the man well enough by now to know that if he knows you well, the meaner he is, the more he cares. And that when he says one thing, it usually means the opposite, unless he hates you or is worried. And that, underneath it all, Hank really does want him around.

_Love you too, Hank._

"Got it."

-

Markus isn't sure who designed the system for government, but whoever it was, deserves a punch to the face. Markus knows he could just look that up and know the answer, but the point is he has no time. He isn't sure how a human, who needs breaks to eat, sleep and use the bathroom could manage his workload, let alone an android who needs none of those things and is still fried. He can't handle his own mind right now, so he piles workload after workload on himself, despite working too much causing the problem in the first place. All he's been focused on is work. Why is this so much harder than leading the revolution? He's an android for god's sake, why is _this_ breaking him? Where's his cool? He's so fried. What the hell. I'm in danger. Something's wrong-

_**Stress levels 55%** _

Markus takes a deep breath, attempting to cool down his processors. Nothing's wrong. He's just a little overwhelmed. He has been for almost a week now, it's fine. 

_I'll be fine._

 

At least his office is peaceful. A sea of blues and greens, with off-tones of purple and white. He'd designed it himself when they'd gotten to the new Jericho building, A.K.A a nice abandoned office building with many floors and windows in the middle of the city. Jericho may be the name of the building, but it is also the name of a movement; the name of a people, and hopefully the name of Detroit if they ever get the chance to rename it. As happy as all of this makes Markus, he can't stop thinking about North. He really needs to speak to her...

He's right in the middle of filling out some paperwork about freedom of speech when he hears a knock on the door.

"Markus? It's North." Comes a voice from the other side of the door.

Markus sits bolt upright. His processors are whirring very loudly, and he can't seem to focus on anything. He shakes his head, focusing on clearing his mind. What the hell was that? He hasn't seen North in days, ever since the fight. He doesn't have time to speak to her, but it doesn't matter, and he doesn't care. He needs a break and he needs to talk to North.

"Come in"

North cautiously slides her frame through the frosted glass doorway, then closes it behind her. She looks at him blankly. She looks like an unfreed android, unable to move unless ordered to.

“How are you holding up?” Her tone is cool and emotionless. There is no care in her voice.

Markus chuckles humorlessly, immediately regretting it “well, that depends who you ask"

It has been 14 days since the android party had gained the upper hand in the revolution, and in that time, Markus has managed to 1) Get through 1200 documents of paperwork 2) scare Simon away from visiting when he’s working 3) Go to 7 conference meetings 4) Screw things up with North to the point that he's not sure if they're ever going to be the same again. Needless to say, he’s completely and absolutely drained. He wasn’t even aware that could happen to androids since he’d never experienced it himself before now. He's just glad he can finally talk to North. _God, how is he going to apologize?_

North does not laugh along with him. Instead, she just stares at Markus, her expression unreadable.

"Why are you here, North?" he says softly

"Why do you think, Markus?" she hisses, closing her eyes. "Josh wants me to talk to you. He thinks something is wrong. Boy, does he know what he's missing."

_Well, he's not wrong._

Markus sighs, a sad, tired sound that could almost be considered pitiful, and he turns to look at North. He can feel the guilt rising up, ready to take over. God, what is _up_ with him lately?

"North, I fucked up," He says, like a judge announcing a case in the courtroom. _Way to state facts, Markus._

North nods, pursing her lips. She looks close to tears.

"Yeah. Yeah, Markus. You really did."

She rapidly wipes her eyes in an attempt to regain composure.

"I know you're stressed with the revolution and all, but you went too far. Bringing up my past when you know it's a sensitive place for me, and all because of a petty little fight. You..."

She stops, her voice cracking as she blinks away the tears already starting to reform.

Markus didn't think he could feel any guiltier. But North just proved him wrong.

"I know, North. I know I did. I lost my cool. I promised I'd never do that, and then I did. To you, of all people. And I know this doesn't make up for anything, but I'm so, so sorry. I..."

It's weak. It's weak, and they both know it. North shakes her head, looking at the floor.

"Then why didn't you ever come to apologize, Markus? You could have just said we weren't a good match, everyone knew it." she says, her voice wavering

Markus doesn’t know how to reply. He wants to make up excuse after excuse, he was too busy, he...

"I was scared. I'm so sorry North..."

North's head whips up. This time, Markus can see the anger in her eyes. In the tears streaming down her face.

"You were SCARED? You mean I was miserable, taken down where I was weak by the person I thought was there for me, and you were up too much of a pussy to even come to say sorry?" She screams. "You were up here working away like 'oh no scary North I can't come to see if she's okay because I'm too SCARED'" she mocks in a high pitch voice.

Markus can't do anything but shake his head. He tries to force his next words out as calmly as possible "North, please, I-" He's cut off by North slamming her palms down onto the table and leaning into Markus. All he can feel is the white-hot hatred oozing out of her next words.

"Did you mean it?!" she hisses

"Did I mean what?" he whispers, his voice no longer there

North grits her teeth

"You know damn well what, you asshole. Were you using me to get people to see the life in androids?'

Markus feels tears of his own, welling up, threatening to fall.

"North, it wasn't like that, I love you-"

North's mouth falls open. "You _love me?_ Fucking _really_ Markus?" she cries "Bullshit!" She yells, slamming a fist down on his desk. It knocks over a picture he has of Carl. "That's bullshit! You're attached to me, maybe infatuated, but you don't love me! Nobody says that shit to someone they love. Nobody!" she screams at him. She's crying so hard, her entire body is shaking. He can almost see the error messages crowding her vision. Oh, wait.

Markus flinches away, tears rolling down his face. He's never felt this way in his life. He's a failure. He puts his head in his hands. The red error messages are blaring and white hot in his optical processors. 

"North, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I'm-" Markus whimpers, rocking back and forth, unable to say anything else. It's pathetic.

North laughs dryly, smiling through her tears.

"I cared for you, Markus. I let you in. Wrong move. Now answer the goddamn question. Did you fucking use me?"

Markus shakes his head. He's sorry. He's sorry. He fucked up so badly. He can't say it. He can't admit it to himself.

"I can't!" He yells

North's face hardens.

"I suppose that answers that question then. I guess you're different than I thought you were. Fuck off, Markus, you fucking dickhead. I hope you have a shitty life." She flips him off, and speed walks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

-

Hank and Connor are standing on the front porch of Hank's house, while he fumbles with his keys, finally shoving the right one in and turning the lock. Hank opens the door and saunters in. Connor follows a moment after, taking in the scenery of the place when it's not being pelted with rain. It's quiet. Connor hasn't heard quiet in a long time.

Then, he steps inside the house, scanning the interior. It's filthy, just like the last time Connor was here. And there's hank, playing with Sumo, who's cuddling up to him with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and his massive tail swishing around and hitting Hank in the legs repeatedly. Just like the last time he was here. Hank looks back at Connor, still scratching under Sumo's chin.

"Well don't jus' stand there like you're waitin' for orders or somthin', make yourself' at home!" he barks at Connor, then turns back to his dog.

"Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? You are! You are, yes you are! Yes!" Hank murmurs, and Sumo jumps around, excited because he is a good boy.

Connor blinks, smiling at Hank.

"Right. Will do, Hank. But, wasn't that, in itself, an order?"

"Shut up, Connor."

"Right away, sir"

Connor slowly makes his way over to the couch, plopping down while Hank grabs a beer from the fridge. He walks over to the couch and sits down beside Connor with a grunt. Connor makes out several stains on the carpet that he's not sure are removable. A few seconds later, Sumo hops up on the couch between them, resting his head on Connor's lap. Connor stiffens, unsure of what to do. Hank chuckles at him.

"Geez, would've at least thought you knew how to pet a dog"

Connor huffs at him, petting Sumo cautiously. Sumo nuzzles into his touch, and a small smile graces his features without him noticing.

"See? I know how to pet a dog. I was just...caught off guard." Connor says absent-mindedly

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Sumo begins licking his fingers, seeming confused at the taste of synthetic skin, instead of human oils but continues to lick anyway. Connor isn't sure how he should react to this, but after looking it up sees that this is normal behavior and not at all a cause for concern. He relaxes and continues to pet the saint bernard with the hand that isn't currently engulfed in dog spit.

A few more moments pass and Hank speaks again, interrupting Connor from his thoughts about how to tidy the house.

"Y'know what I think? I think you need some new clothes." Hank says 

Connor is startled by the request and looks down at his outfit, not seeing what's wrong with it.

"Why is this suddenly on your mind, Hank? And what's wrong with my current ones?"

Now it's Hank's turn to scoff at Connor, scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck.

"I dunno Connor, I guess it's jus' cause'… you're not a machine anymore. I mean, you are but... You're more than jus' your model number, y'know? All those clothes do is...remind me of who you were, I guess. Or, what they made you do. I jus' think it would be better if... I dunno."

Hank trails off, unsure of where he was going with this. He clears his throat.

"Whatever. Connor, you're coming with me tomorrow an' you're getting some new shit. End of discussion."

"Of course, Hank. You are my host. I'll do as you say."

Hank grunts, taking a swig of his IPA.

"An' stop bein' so fuckin' formal. I know how much fuckin' sass you got stored up there." Hank taps his forehead.

Connor smirks, tilting his head to the side in mock confusion "Sorry Hank, could you repeat that? I don't speak alcoholic."

Hank chokes on his drink and lets out a sharp laugh

"Hey now! Watch it, android."

Connor grins, turning his attention back to Sumo

"Certainly, Hank"

A few hours later, Hank finally passes out in bed, and Connor can hear him snoring from all the way in the kitchen. Connor knows Hank doesn’t want him to be his "fucking nanny", but he just can't help himself. The house needs help. He cleans up the entire house, excepting Hank's room as he's sleeping in it. He also opens some windows and plans a paint job to make the room look more open. He even makes Hank breakfast, as soon as he senses that he is awake. He has the most limited cooking skill, but it doesn’t take a professional to make toast and coffee.

Hank stumbles out of his room, rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and immediately stops, staring at the bathroom across from him. His eyes are wide and his jaw goes slack. Is this his house? It's completely spotless. There's no way...

Fuckin' _androids_ -

"Connor! What the fuck? Did you clean the house?!" Hank shouts as he walks out of his room at noon. Connor doesn't reply.

He walks into the kitchen to see breakfast on the table, and a smug Connor sitting on the couch.

"Who, Me? I'd never dream of it." He says innocently, turning to look at Hank with a sly grin spreading across his face

Hank ruffles his hair on his way to the table, and Connor laughs in surprise. "Hey!"

"You're such a little fucker" Hank mutters affectionately

Hank walks to the table, sitting down with a groan

"I guess I owe you a thank you then, Connor."

Connor shakes his head.

"You don't owe me anything, Hank. It's the least I could do. We're roommates, so this is my house as well. Besides, aren't you insisting on getting me new clothes later? Because I guess then we'd be even. Besides, I already owe you my life"

Hank takes a bite of toast.

"Right. Because new clothes equate to basically deep cleaning the entire house." then chokes on his food "Hey now, we're not bringing that owe-you-my-life bullshit into this."

"Alright then."

Turns out Connor likes looking spiffy, so he gets many button downs and some blazers, as well as a long black overcoat, 4 ties, a bowtie, a suit jacket, several pairs of pants, formal and sweatpants because hank insists that he isn't always in formal attire. He also gets several pairs of shorts, like 2 hoodies and 3 t-shirts. All this stuff is stolen because no-one is running stores until they get the economy back up and more humans are in Detroit.

It's not like they're in law enforcement anymore.

At least, not yet.

-

For about an hour after North left his office, Markus couldn't do anything but sit in the corner with his head in his hands and cry. His mind is a mess. What the fuck is wrong with him? He hadn't had time to think about it – why the fuck had he done that? Why can't he keep his cool? Why does it feel like his emotions are boiling over like a pot with too much water?

_I'm so stupid._

_Useless useless useless useless useless._

He digs his fingers into his head, squeezing

_How could I do that to North?_

_I'm a horrible person. I shouldn't be leading the revolution._

_Why do these people look up to me?_

He tries to make himself impossibly smaller

_I don't deserve to be as powerful as I am. I'm going to hurt someone._

_I'm unlovable. I shouldn't have friends and I'll never subject anyone to my affections ever again._

Markus's auditory sensors have stopped picking up sound

_No one deserves that. I'll just hurt them_

_I should just kill myself_

The last thought takes Markus by surprise. Running a self-diagnostic, he sees that his mind is overworked, his circuits have been overheated for so long some of them are damaged, possibly permanently, and his stress levels have been dangerously high for an extremely long time, eliciting what would normally be considered either mental illness or a mental breakdown in a human mind.

Elijah Kamski really did want to make them as human as possible.

But that doesn't mean the thoughts in his head are any less true. He's less than dirt. Part of him wishes he would just self-destruct. God, what is he doing.

The outside world is a blur. He feels as if his body is there, but his mind is not. He can't process information quite right. Descriptions of things don't matter since Markus doesn’t really see them anyway.

He's friends with so many people. But he isn't who they think he is. He's going to hurt them all.

Markus resolves to make sure they don't need him anymore. Once nobody cares for him, dying will be that much easier.

Yes, that's it.

He'll help as much as possible and pretend nothing is wrong until he's cut all ties with everyone he cares about.

Markus stands up, wipes the tears from his face, and goes back to work. He's going to free them from being friends with him.

It's the least he can do.

A small smile comes to his face.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I gave Hank a bag of nuts to eat. Maybe it's because they're healthy and a great alternative to a granola bar for plot advancement. Or maybe its because I'm very mature, wrote the sentence "He eats his nuts" and died laughing. One may never know.
> 
> That fight...escalated a small bit 
> 
> Sumo is a very good boy


	2. Markus feels like shit, Connor is happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe I should cry for help
> 
> Maybe I should kill myself  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> "Markus's parts are intentionally messy," I say, sweating profusely as I try to cover up the fact that I'm just a terrible writer.  
> In all seriousness though, they're supposed to be like that. It's supposed to replicate how his mind is I guess.  
> Please tell me if it's too hard to read or whatever, I need help, my friends.

Connor has decided that although he may be messy, drink too much, and sometimes forget to get out of bed, he likes Hank as a roommate.

He is especially fond of Sumo, and very much enjoys the company when Hank is sleeping. And, Connor is just being frank: now that Hank has no job, when isn't he sleeping? But as much as Connor likes his roommates, after 4 days of the exact same place and nothing to do but think, feed, walk and play with Sumo, and talk to Hank when he's awake, Connor has come to some very interesting conclusions.

Contrary to his former belief, there is only so long you can do coin tricks and watch movies before getting bored out of your metaphorical mind

Hank may be moderately depressed

Hank will run out of food soon

And, he absolutely hates being bored.

So, on the fifth day, after painting the entire house before 12 pm, Connor has an idea. He decides it'll be good for Hank to get out of bed, and he's so bored.

With that, at 12 pm, Connor goes up to Hank's door and knocks three times.

"Hank?"

No response. _He's_ _still_ _sleeping_. _Louder_ _then, I guess_.

He knocks again.

"Hank"

Radio silence. _Really, hank?_

He knocks a third time

"Ha-"

He's cut off by Hank yanking open the door, looking very grumpy and a bit more than mildly ticked off

"Stop"

Connor still has his hand near his face, balled in a fist, and quickly puts it down, clearing his throat even though there was nothing to clear from it.

"Hank, I think it would be wise to get out of the house for a while. I was thinking of taking a trip down to the-"

Hank slams the door, making Connor flinch with surprise.

Connor sighs and makes a face.

"Hank, please."

"Fuck off Connor" comes the muffled reply, sounding _very_ disgruntled

"No"

"The fuck do you mean no-, let me sleep you entitled fucking robot!"

Connor sighs and shakes his head, crosses his arms and stares at the door.

"Hank, I must insist. I know it's not my place to intrude, but if I may be blunt; you have not left the fucking house in 5 motherfucking days. I stayed here, bored beyond belief, in fear that your drunk bitch ass might die in your sleep of a heart attack, because of your ridiculously high cholesterol, or go into another alcohol-induced coma while I was out, and I care about you. So, get your depressed ass the fuck out of bed, get dressed and come with me, or so help me god." Connor says calmly.

Silence

Connor realizes he may have been way out of line

Then the door swings open, and Hank is looking at him with the strangest expression, contorted with emotions that are constantly changing. He squints at Connor.

He opens and closes his mouth several times, seemingly unable to get the words out

"What the- wha-"

He shakes his head, looking down at the ground, and then back at Connor. His eyes look as if they are going to pop out of their sockets. "What the fuck was that?"

Connor looks Hank in the eyes, slightly apologetic. Just slightly. "Me getting you out of bed. It seems to have worked."

Hank shakes his head, still in shock

"No, where the fuck did you learn how to cuss people out like that?"

Connor smirks

"You, Hank. And I've been watching a lot of movies and the like to pass the time. I'm sorry, that was extremely rude of me, wasn't it?"

Hank shakes his head, and grabs Connor, pulling him into a hug

"Don't you dare fuckin' apologize, son. I don't ever think I've been this proud in my life. I knew you had it in ya." Connor laughs at that, hugging Hank back. "I don't quite understand, but if that makes you happy then... I suppose I don't need to" he admits. It's strange, admitting that for once you don't need to have all the answers. That you aren't always required to understand and assess a situation. Connor thinks this is the first time he's ever admitted that to himself. It's...nice.

Hank pulls away

"Wow. Wow, okay. Wow. Anyway, now you have my attention, you plastic bastard. Where is it you want to go?"

Connor grins at hank, his eyes crinkling with excitement at the mere notion.

"The station"

Hank sighs "Yeah, I thought so. Alright, let me get dressed."

Connor nods, pleased with himself, and Hank shuts the door.

He blinks a few times, and runs a hand through his messy hair, mouthing 'wow' to himself over and over.

20 minutes and a car ride later, Hank and Connor are standing outside the DPD, just staring at it. Connor has decided to wear a white button-down, a blue blazer, some blue slacks and his bowtie. Hank laughed at him for wearing something so fancy, but Connor likes it, so that's what he wears. The sharp wind blows the fabric of his jacket back and forth, but he hardly notices. Hank shivers.

It's a sad sight, really. The place is abandoned, with any humans who were previously working there having abandoned their post in favor of either leaving the state or leaving the station because of not having enough people left to run it and having no pay.

The government thinks funding a police station in a city full of deviants is idiotic, so neither of them know what the crime rate in Detroit is after the revolution, with the border having little to no security, a city full of deviants, a few thousand humans and climbing, and many people in and outside of the border who absolutely despise androids.

Humans still living in Detroit are having a bit of a rough time, considering they just now have started food banks and clothing drives, and a few kind souls who grow their own food are selling it for other resources. The entire monetary system in Detroit is in shambles, and until they get it back up and running again, they have to make do with what they've got. Connor thinks it'll only be a little while longer – with more and more people coming and going from Detroit daily, the government will have no choice but to step in. Not doing so would be inhumane, as ironic as it may seem to him. As of now, they're lending Markus a bit of money each month, but even they know that it isn't enough.

Still, Markus is doing his best, and Connor will do the same. He'll never be as influential as Markus, but he will do what he can to help the people of Detroit. Because that's what makes him who he is.

It's what made him what he was.

Now, it's what makes him happy.

Connor shakes his head and walks into the police station, Hank following a moment later.

Connor opens the doors and feels a sense of familiarity wash over him. He walks slowly toward the office area, pushing open the doors, and looking around the room.

He notes that there is no electricity, and is about to ask Hank what to do about this when he sees Hank has disappeared. A moment later, power surges throughout the building and all the lights come back on.

Ah, an emergency generator. Of course. _Thank_ _you,_ _Hank_.

He walks into the office, running his fingers over the desks, over the chairs. It's all exactly as he remembers it. Just without the people. It's kind of...eerie, in a way.

Hanks walks up beside him, leans on a desk and crosses his arms.

"So, what are we doing here, Connor"

"No offense intended, Hank, but don't you know?"

Hank thinks for a moment, then sighs

"Yeah, I think I do."

Connor grins and claps his hands

"Alright, let's get these security cameras up and running. We need to make sure Detroit is as safe as we can make it by ourselves."

The building may be in shambles, but there's no reason why the security cameras wouldn't be functioning. The security drones? Yeah, none of them are around. But thankfully, the station is old-fashioned enough that they still have the old camera monitors.

Connor sits down in front of the many screens in the chief's office and gets to work.

It takes ages, but after a while of Connor doing his absolute best, the system boots up and the screens flicker on, one by one. Thankfully, the city had been too lazy to take down the cameras when they made the switch to drones. A few of them are fuzzy, but all of them work. Connor smiles with relief.

"Lieutenant, I finished setting up the cameras"

"That's great, Connor, it's only been 3 hours. Somone's here to see you!" Yells Hank.

Oh?

Connor walks back into the main lobby, and finds Simon there, waiting for him with Hank. The same Simon who'd killed himself to get away from Connor. He looks very uncomfortable.

Connor doesn't know what to say.

"Hello, Connor," Simon says politely, voice quivering just a little

"Hello, Simon," Connor says back, smiling and shifting awkwardly "What brings you here today?"

Simon looks at the ground, then back at Connor, almost not meeting his eyes

"We're having a party today; at Jericho, and I was wondering if you might like to come. We're celebrating that, as of today, androids are officially considered citizens of the United States and have gained all rights an American citizen would have, excluding a few fundamental ones that we have yet to come to terms on, such as the right to bear arms, the right to vote, the right to a fair trial and the right to fair pay, or lack thereof. That's a direct quote from the man himself." Simon says, a smile coming to his face

Connor is surprised. He can't believe it. In all honesty, he doesn't believe it. It seems a bit easy. Too easy. What did Cyberlife have to say about this? How did they just...let them have their freedoms? Missing many of the fundamental ones, yes, but still. Obviously, they're not part of the government, officially, but they are a huge part of this whole thing. Connor knows Cyberlife went under after the revolution, giving practically radio silence to the public, but Connor would think that they would have still put up some sort of fight, they are a Nation wide operation... Connor resolves to ask Markus about this when he sees him next. So, he puts on a smile "Simon, that's...that's amazing! Of course, I'll come, unless Hank needs some help watching monitors?" He says the last part as a question, directed at Hank

Hank scoffs at Connor "Oh, you little smartass. Nah, I'll be fine. Go enjoy your party chief, have fun. I'll call you if anything goes wrong"

Connor nods, smiling at Hank

"Of course. Goodbye, Hank. Don't drink too much while I'm out"

Simon smiles at them both and beckons for Connor to follow him outside. The door closes behind them.

Hank chuckles as he watches them leave.

"Goodbye, kid"

-

It has been a horrible 5 days since North left, and Markus has worked himself to the bone to try and make it go away somehow.

Because maybe if he grants androids freedom, the pain will stop.

He doesn't know where she went. He just knows he hasn't seen her

But now Markus has realized that he was being foolish. He's not sure how he allowed his emotions to take over like that. Because now, as he walks towards his friends and colleagues to tell them the good news, North excluded, he's not sure that he could ever leave them.

He enters the lobby, where Josh, Simon, and many others are milling about.

Wait. Has North told them what he'd done?

"Hey, Markus! How's it going? We haven't seen you in days!" Simon exclaims as he sees Markus, giving him a big hug. Markus hugs back, relief flooding through him at feeling something other than pain for the first time in days.

I guess not.

"Yeah, you should really stop shutting yourself away like that." Says Josh, clapping him on the back

Markus smiles warmly "Well, you'll be happy to know that I have been doing something productive in all that time. I have been speaking to the head of madam president's office back and forth quite frequently, and as of today androids are officially considered citizens of the United States and have gained all rights an American citizen would have, excluding a few fundamental ones that we have yet to come to terms on, such as the right to bear arms, the right to vote, the right to a fair trial and the right to fair pay, or lack thereof. But, it's a start!" He says the last bit intentionally louder, and excited murmurs spread throughout the androids within earshot.

Josh grins "Oh my rA9, that's amazing Markus!" And he goes in for a hug

Yeah, it is.

So why doesn't Markus feel happy?

This was supposed to stop the pain.

"I'm so proud of you Markus! I knew you could do it!" Simon declares proudly "Though, it does make me feel like a human woman before the 1900's"

Suddenly, he isn't so sure he deserves the praise.

Androids are congratulating him left and right for this massive accomplishment, faces he knows and faces he does not.

He does not let his smile falter.

He laughs and jokes. He denies all questions about North, each one like a blow to the chest.

"Hey, Markus! We should celebrate tonight!" crows Simon. "I'll get androids from all over the city to come to celebrate!" He tugs Markus's sleeve "What do you think? The lobby is big enough!"

Simon looks like a little kid, and all the other androids are waiting anxiously for his word.

Suddenly, he doesn't like all these eyes on him.

He hates it, in fact. He feels as if he's going to fall over.

"Of course!" He grins, raising his arms to the people. "Tonight, we celebrate a victory for our people!"

Everybody cheers and Markus smiles even wider.

He wonders if they can tell.

Simon gathers up groups of people, and divides them up into teams, each team working on something different for the upcoming celebration tonight. It's 12 pm.

Markus needs to get out of there.

The party will start at 5 pm.

The guests arrive at 4:30 pm

The RK 200 still has time to get ahold of himself.

When Josh is distracted by Simon, Markus slips away as quietly as he can. It's all that Markus can do to keep himself from crying until he's on the 2nd flight of stairs and away from the crowds.

He walks up the stairs, tears dripping down his face.

God, he's supposed to be the strong one

What happened to him?

"I deserve this" he mutters "I should have stayed in that pit where they dumped me. Where did all that determination I had come from?"

He makes it into his office on the 4th floor, closes the door, and collapses into his chair. Then he brings his knees to his chest and just sits there. Unable to move. Unable to think, of anything except the gun he keeps in the bottom drawer of his desk.

He battles his mind for hours, trying to see what to do

_I want to die._

_No. Not yet. I can't_

_It hurts_

_I don't want them to see me like this_

_They need me_

_They don't_

_I can't take this_

_Then tell somebody!_

_I can't!_

_Why?_

_Because they'll worry, I'm not worth their worries_

_I'm not worth anything_

He sobs into his hands.

_I'm worthless_

He opens the bottom drawer

_I'm worthless_

He grabs the gun

_I'm wort hless_

He holds it with a shaking hand

_I'M WOR T H LESS_

He disarms the safety.

**_I ' MWO R T HL ESS-_ **

He puts it under his chin

**_I D E SR V E T O D I E_ **

Markus pulls the trigger

_Click_

_Oh_.

He smiles, a delirious grin slowly creeping up his face at the sound

_It's empty._

Markus puts it back, wipes his face, and goes back to work.

A few minutes later, there's a knock on the door.

"Hello Markus, you workaholic! Come downstairs with me, the party started an hour ago!"

...Connor?

He smiles

It's Connor. What is Connor doing here? Didn't he leave?

"Connor?"

"Can I come in, Markus?"

"Of course"

Markus turns off his computer and turns to see a smiling Connor wearing a bowtie

"It's 6:30, Josh told me you were probably up here"

Markus laughs

Why was he in pain again?

"That little snitch. Alright, alright. I'll come down."

Markus stands up and turns to Connor. Connor smiles at him, doing an over-pronounced bow

"After you, monsieur"

Markus chuckles, doing a small mock curtsy.

"Why thank you"

Markus begins to walk down the stairs.

Connor looks into his room, at the bottom drawer of his desk.

His face contorts in concern

He knew what he'd heard.

The click of the trigger of an unloaded gun.

What was Markus doing with a gun?

"You coming or what"

"Yep! Just admiring the interior decorating"

Connor catches up with Markus, walking down a flight of stairs with him.

Markus is smiling and laughing with Connor, when all of a sudden, his face goes blank.

Connor immediately knows something is wrong

"Markus?" he says, cautiously putting his hand on the shoulder of the deviant leader

Then, as if that were some sort of keyword, Markus's eye's roll back into his head, and he falls forward into the stairwell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor in a bowtie is just completely self-indulgent and I'm not even denying it. So was him swearing, I'm not even sorry. I know it wasn't really in character, but it made my depressed ass smile so whatever fuck it.


	3. Connor and Markus both feel like shit, simultaniously

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, nobody has an LED in this anymore, they were all removed (from the characters we see at least)

Markus is falling

Or is he floating? 

He can see no scenery to indicate where he is; if he's really falling.  

The world around him is an inky black, darker than the deepest sea or the most starless, moonless, lightless night. 

He can't see any danger, but he's scared out of his mind. 

Where is he? 

His world is shadows, and his body is fog. His words are smoke, but his mind is on fire. 

And still, Markus doesn't know whether he's falling or floating 

He knows he's not picking up speed, meaning there's no ground. 

Meaning there's no anything. 

Down, up, left, right. He wouldn't know the difference. The area probably doesn't even exist within the realms of time and space. 

His mechanics are whirring too loudly in his audio receptors.  

His heartbeat is too loud in his ears. It's all that exists in this darkness. 

Markus and his heartbeat. 

Markus is scared. He doesn't know what to do. How does he get out of this darkness? 

Markus is screaming 

"Hello?!" 

"Help me!" 

"Somebody help me!" 

The blackness smothers him, seeping into every wire, every gear, every module, so the blue blood in his body runs black. He knows it's useless, but he continues to cry out, desperate. 

"Hello!?" 

There are no walls, but he knows the place is destroying him. 

A strangled cry escapes his throat. His chest is being crushed by an invisible weight 

"CONNOR!" He screams, not knowing what else to say. He...had been with Connor. Where did he go? Why did Connor leave him here? 

"Markus...." 

A whisper 

There's a whisper of his name, barely a breath, but Markus heard it, joining in with the rhythm of the beat of his thirium pump regulator. 

A voice to go with the beat of his heart, something else joining him in the dark. 

"Markus..." 

"Connor?" 

"Markus...?" 

It's getting louder now, sounding slightly panicked. He can hear him 

"Connor, help me!" 

"Markus...?! 

Connor will save him. Connor will get him out.  

"Connor!" 

"Markus!?" 

Markus sits bolt upright with a yell, almost hitting Connor who is kneeling next to him in the stairwell. 

Connor coaxes him back to a lying down position. 

"Markus oh my god, are you alright?! What was that?" He says, sounding frantic and looking at Markus with concern. His eyes flick all over Markus's face with worry. 

Markus can feel tears yet again pricking his eyes, and he blinks them back 

"What happened..." He says, his voice cracking 

Connor doesn't seem to know what to do. 

"You-, we were just walking and you just- you just _collapsed_. I almost didn't catch you. Then, I put you here and tried to call someone, but before I could you started screaming for help and I just- I just _blanked_ , I just tried to get you to regain consciousness and then you yelled my name so I tried to help you but I wasn't programmed for this kind of thing and I just didn't know, and I'm so glad you're awake but I think we need to get you looked at because that's not normal." Connor rambles, staring at Markus with so much concern that he just- 

Markus puts his face in his hands, completely humiliated. Connor cares for him, and he.... hates it. He hates it.

"Connor, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't mean to I promised I'd never do that to someone you were so worried, I'm not worth your worries I-" 

Connor shushes him, his chest hurts for some reason and he can't take any more of Markus's harsh words. 

"Shut up, Markus. _Stop_ _that_. That is not true, do you hear me? Are you listening, Markus? I want you to understand me when I say that-" 

Connor stops, his face contorting in a sort of snarl 

"Shit" 

He seems to be getting a call, so he puts up his index toward Markus with a soft smile, then puts it to his temple and accepts the call. 

"This better be important" he growls 

His face falls.  

"Oh. Oh no. Hank, I- I'll be there as soon as I can I just- Markus, he- Yes, I know Hank but I have to- Markus just-" 

Hank cuts him off for a very long time 

His face goes flat and emotionless 

"...Yes. Understood, lieutenant. I'll be there right away" and he hangs up. 

He crouches back down beside Markus 

He's about to say something, but Markus shakes his head at him. 

"Go, Connor" 

Connor opens his mouth to protest, but Markus cuts him off again 

"Connor. Go." 

"But, Markus-" 

"Go!" Markus yells. Then his eyes go wide and he murmurs "Sorry", feeling tears again in his eyes. He just snapped at Connor, how could he do that?  

 _I wish that gun hadn't been empty_  

Connor flinches like a kicked puppy at his harsh tone but soon regains himself, setting his jaw in resolve. 

"No." He says firmly, grabbing Markus's hands in his own and looking him in the face, his expression determined. 

"No?" Markus whimpers 

 _To what?_  

Connor ignores him, focusing instead on scanning Markus. He frowns, eyebrows furrowing, and Markus feels a little too exposed for his liking as if Connor is intruding on something that he shouldn't be seeing. Connor grips his hands as if he may disappear if he lets go. 

"Markus, I'm going to pull you up now, okay?" Connor says softly 

"Connor, it's okay, I can do it myself"  

"I don't care." 

Connor knows that he cannot, in fact, do it himself. But Hank has taught him, and that is that nobody likes pity or being told the truth. They either think they're too strong for help, unwilling to receive the help because they think they're not worth it, or think they're too weak to be helped.  

Connor grips Markus firmly, pulling him to his feet as gently as possible and pulling one of his arms around his neck. "Connor, this is ridiculous." Says Markus, unable to support his own weight. Connor shakes his head, leading the RK200 back up the stairs toward his office despite his protests. He opens the door, leads Markus to the couch on the opposite wall from his desk and forces him to lie down. 

"I'll be back. And while I'm gone, I'm sending up Josh and Simon. I'll tell them what happened, and when we get back we'll figure out what to do, okay? How long have you been this way?" Connor says, and Markus can see the design of cyberlife seeping through, benefiting him. Markus feels compelled to answer. He feels safe. 

_If you knew what I did, you wouldn't be so kind_

"Almost a week," he says, propping himself up on the armrest, Connor making him suddenly so ashamed of his actions, or rather, lack thereof, that he can't look him in the eye. Tears. There are tears again. But he can't cry. Not in front of Connor. 

Connor shakes his head and purses his lips 

"Of course, you didn't go for help. Okay. See you soon Markus. And remember.... there's always another way. We'll fix this. Don't be stupid. We all care for you." Connor says firmly, but with so much compassion it's obvious he's worried. 

 _Is he..._  

 _Does he know?_  

Markus thinks he's about to turn around to close the door and leave, but he does not. Instead, Connor looks Markus right in the eye with the most doleful expression Markus has ever seen him make. 

Connor sighs then walks wordlessly over to his desk, opens the bottom drawer and takes out the handgun, turning it over and over in his hands. 

He holds it, looking up at Markus with that heartbreaking look, those eyes like the warm sunlight through autumn leaves that Markus has seen a hundred times, looking so sad, so disappointed. He hasn't said a word, but the meaning is obvious. Then, he puts it back, shuts the drawer softly, and leaves swiftly without looking back. 

As soon as Connor is gone, Markus feels the tears start slipping down his face without his consent.  

He never wants to see Connor make that face ever again. He's so... stupid. 

Connor knows what he did. What he tried to do... 

"Connor, I'm so sorry..." He whispers, even though he knows Connor is long gone. He just needs to apologize. For...being in his life. 

 Markus is alone again. 

 Just him and his heartbeat. 

But now, it doesn't hurt nearly as much.  

Something's different. 

 _Markus is_ _going to be okay._  

- 

Connor arrives at the coordinates Hank sent him only maybe 20 minutes later than Hank had "suggested" 

He had left in a hurry, many of the guests he had been mingling with earlier expressing their disappointment at his early departure. He replies that he is sorry, but with promises to come back very soon. He tells Josh and Simon what happened, then dashes out of the building. 

Hank is leaning on his car, waiting for Connor outside of an ally, several miles from the airport. Connor jumps out of his taxi, running up to him.  

"Fuckin' hell Connor, I said be here in 20! I've been waiting out here for goin' on an hour!" Hank scolds with a scowl 

"Sorry, lieutenant. I had to make sure Markus was okay. I would have been here sooner if what I was doing wasn't absolutely crucial" Connor says matter-of-factly. 

Hank's face softens. 

"Christ, Connor, it really is always everyone before yourself isn't it. I get it. You can tell me what happened to him later, alright? Right now, you gotta see this" he says, his eyebrows knitting together in unease "Whoever these people are that did this, they are some messed up fuckin' freaks." Connor nods. 

They walk into the ally, and Connor gasps. He's seen many crime scenes in his day, but now that he can feel, it's so much worse.  

There's thirium absolutely  _everywhere,_ as _2_  androids are sprawled in the alleyway, mangled and disheveled with multiple bullet and stab wounds scattered randomly on their bodies, a YK500 and aVB800.  It looks as if they were taken by surprise, and the VB800 stepped in front of the other to shield her, based on the way the bodies are positioned. Connor kneels down in front of each to test his theory, getting that the VB800 stopped functioning one hour and 20 minutes ago, and the YK500 one hour and 18 minutes ago, meaning she.... had to watch him  _die._  He shudders, pushing the thought out of his mind, trying to forget the image he had just created.  

"This was most likely human doing because of the messy stab and gunshot wounds, as well as the perpetrators missing many vital biocomponents an android would have known to aim for if they wanted a clean kill. Even if it was intended to be sloppy, it's still too messy for an android" Connor states 

"Christ. It's just a little girl. What heartless motherfucker could look a child in the eyes, then plant a bullet in their head?" Hank murmurs, observing one of the many bullet holes on the YK500, that is centered right between her eyes. "I've been asking that question for years, but the hate we have for others is just so dumbfounding. We  _just_ stopped murdering androids. I'll never fucking understand humanity."  

"Me neither, lieutenant," Connor says, eyes downcast 

"Yeah, but you're not one, luckily for you. It's different when it's your fucking species doing the murdering" Hank growls 

He looks around the alley, not seeing how Hank could have seen this. 

"Hank, from where did you see this? I don't see a camera anywhere near..." He stops, looking out of the alley toward the street, where he sees a camera positioned on a street lamp, barely in the view of the alley. 

Hank notices his gaze, and nods "Yeah, I was starting to fall asleep in the chair when I noticed some commotion in the corner of one of the screens. I zoomed in, only to see 5 people in black outfits and ski masks holding what I thought were various firearms and other weapons that could not have been legal. But then again, this place is practically in anarchy until an android rep gets sworn in, and we get some law and order. I can tell you right now there are probably many more murders that have happened at the hands of these people." He makes a face "I just don't understand why they'd do this. Androids have been peaceful as fuck, more peaceful than humans by a longshot." 

Connor nods solemnly "I can't see any immediate evidence. These people were quick with the capture and kill, meaning that they were careful not to leave any tracks. Did you happen to see where they went?" 

Hank grunts "Connor, if I knew where they went, that's where we'd be right now." 

"So, they went out the opposite side of the alley, but you didn't see them on the street?" 

"Yeah" 

Connor looks toward the other entrance to the alley, only to see a door on the side of the building making up the back wall. 

"Hank, there's a door," he says 

"There sure is Connor, but I don't see- Oh my GOD there's a door, and I'm a fuckin' moron." 

"I thought that was established?" Connor says with a grin, side-eyeing Hank. 

"Connor, 2 people are dead" 

"Right." 

They walk up to the door, stepping over the bodies on the way there. The door is red and slightly rusty, with a basic lock. Hank hands Connor a gun, and he takes it, pointing it at the door as he tries the knob. 

Locked. 

Connor nods at Hank, signaling him to step back. 

"Wait, no, Connor! -" 

Connor points his gun at the lock 

BANG 

He kicks open the door. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a hard time with this villain, but I think they've finally got a purpose lmao  
> This one's a bit shorter, but I'll edit soon  
> I know this never makes a difference, but FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.


	4. The button, AKA boring plot stuff that no one reaally cares about, because we all just want our boys to be happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but I wanted to get it out. I'll finish the second part when I'm not so depressed. Not that anyone really cares lmao

Connor bursts into the room, gun aimed in front of him, ready to lock onto anything that moves. He knows that there is most likely no one in here, but it's always wise to take precautions when entering a space most likely used at some point by murderers. 

He turns back, motioning for Hank to stay. He does not see Hank's reaction, but based on the annoyed grunt that comes from behind him, it's probably not a happy one. 

The place is large and seemingly abandoned, with many windows and a ceiling that stretches very high above him. Almost like a warehouse. Connor walks slowly in, even though if anyone is in there at the moment they are well aware of his presence. There is nothing much to hide within this space, so Connor does a quick scan for any signs of life. There are none. He also does a quick walk around the place to check for any signs of android life. As Connor nears the other side of the building, having found nothing, he spots a door hidden by one of the walls in the building so that he could not see it as he entered. That must be where they left from. Connor opens the door very slowly, only to feel a gush of wind on his face, and see yet another street, practically abandoned. They could have gone anywhere from there. And it’s been so long they literally could have gone  _anywhere._  

Connor grunts, and promptly shut the door, turning around and ready to walk back the way they came to report the exit to Hank when something catches his eye. 

On the ground several feet from where he's standing, there's something that looks like... a big, red button?  

Connor walks closer, crouching down with furrowed brows, observing the strange object in front of him. 

“What the…” Connor mutters, picking up the strange device and turning it over and over in his fingers. It’s nothing special, but he... 

“Hank!” he calls “you may want to see this!” 

Hank walks very cautiously into the building, peering around the doorframe. Upon seeing it is empty, Hank let’s out a sigh, of relief or defeat Connor isn’t certain and looks to where he is now sitting cross-legged on the floor. 

“Highly doubt it" Hank grumbles as he trudges over 

Once he arrives, Connor holds up the device.  

“I found this on the floor of the building. It seems to be some sort of device” Connor relays 

“Excellent deduction, Sherlock. The question is, what does it do? “Hank says with squinted eyes, examining the gadget. 

Connor hums. “I’ve scanned the device, and I'm getting nothing. It's odd. Something must be interfering with my processing units. Like it’s emitting a frequency or some other form of blockage that keeps me from seeing its inner workings”  

He thinks for a minute, all possible options running through his head. 

“We could push the button" 

It’s completely out of the blue, and to be honest, Connor hadn’t expected it to really come out of his mouth.  

Hank gasps and he snatches the device from Connor's fingers. 

“No, we are not pressing the button. That is a terrible idea. That is like, rule number one! Besides murder. Don’t kill people and don't push the big red fuckin' button!” Hank shouts. “Christ. Detective android my ass.” 

Connor knows what Hank is saying. Well of course he does. He's programmed with well over 1000 different languages and dialects. And, what he's saying is just common sense, the logical solution. But for some reason, Connor has a very strong, albeit irrational urge to press that big, bright red button. It goes against everything he knows about rationality and probability. He doesn’t want to push the button for any other reason than to see what it does. Connor is curious. He’s actually  _curious._ He still has his doubts about his deviancy, but feeling anything is so enthralling that Connor has learned to push them down, in favor of happier things. Those 13 days spent at Jericho were a sort of reminder he was less than them. Maybe not even alive like they were. Those last few moments with Amanda still haunt the darkest of his thoughts. 

“Connor?”  

Hank’s rough voice yanks Connor abruptly out of his thoughts. He realizes he’s just been sitting and staring into space for a good 5 minutes, drifted off and thinking about his own legitimacy again. 

“You zoned out again. Normally I wouldn't question it, but we're investigating a fuckin' murder. Try to stay with it” scolds Hank, with as little frustration as possible. ‘Anyway, case in point, we’re not pushing the button. End of discussion.” 

“Of course. My apologies, Lieutenant. That was very irrational of me.” 

“It was very human of you alright. Scares me a little.” 

Connor returns his thoughts to the task at hand. 

 “The button looks very important and new. We have no idea what it could do. Come to think of it, the placement was quite the convenient find. How could the perpetrators just leave something so valuable? Unless they meant for it to be found.” Oh, shit. Connor realizes they probably knew about the camera, as well. If they were that careful about leaving no evidence, they would never have committed murder anywhere near where a camera might be, and they certainly wouldn't have been careless enough to just leave that device. So that leaves Connor with one possibility. If they knew to leave the device then… “they wanted us to find the bodies.” he murmurs. Why Connor isn’t sure. This whole case doesn't make a whole lot of sense so far. 2 android bodies that could not be reactivated with all the tech in the world, about 5 masked murderers, and a device which the use of is unknown. Connor could make assumptions, but he feels as if he needs all the facts first. Whatever they may be. 

“Whoa, okay. How did we jump from them wanting us to find the device to them wanting us to find bodies? Fill me in please.” Says Hank 

“My theory is, if they knew to leave the device, they must have known about the cameras. And if they knew about the cameras, that means they intentionally murdered two innocents in front of them just so we would find the bodies. Why I’m not quite sure. But it's obviously been effective.” 

Hank sighs, dragging his hands down his face in frustration. 

“Christ. I’m too old for this. What the fuck is going on. Okay, let’s go back to Jericho and tell Markus about this. Maybe someone there can figure out what this thing does.”  

Hank begins to walk toward the entrance, Connor quickly getting up to follow him.  

"Did you take pictures of the scene? We need to take the bodies back to the DPD for further investigation" 

"Done. But I need some help with the bodies. One's going to have to go in the back seat." 

Connor nods, and they reach the entrance, Hank opening the door and stepping outside, holding it for Connor until he crosses through. They walk over to the bodies, Hank cringing as he bends down to grab the legs of the VB800, while Connor grabs the shoulders. The YK500 is leaning slightly on top of one of its legs, promptly falling to the ground as they lift the android, head lolling to the side, eyes lifeless. Connor shudders. Hank says nothing. 

They walk to the car in silence, Hank opening the door and awkwardly placing the larger android in the backseat of the car. 

They walk back to the entrance of the ally, entering it and picking up the smaller android. Hank is glad that the thirium has faded. Connor is not so lucky. His hands and jacket are completely covered in it. 

He does his best to ignore the images appearing in his head. 

As they place the second body in the trunk, Connor looks at Hank.  

“Hank, about Markus. There's something I need to tell you” 

“Right. What happened to him that was more important than a murder?” Hank says  

Connor shakes his head gravely, not knowing how to convey to Hank exactly what happened. 

 “I'm... quite concerned for him. I believe there is something terribly wrong.” Connor eventually conveys, looking quite unsure. He isn't sure how to say this in a way that Hank will understand. 

“Oh, shit. Okay, hit me.” Says Hank, opening the car door and grunting as he lowers himself into the driver's seat. 

Connor opens the passenger door, popping himself in beside Hank. Hank turns the key in the ignition and peels out of the deserted street. 

"He...something happened to his processing units. He's a danger to himself. His "mind" is completely...completely broken, in a sense. He's not himself."  

Hank frowns 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well...the Markus we know is calm and cool and a natural leader. The Markus I saw today? He..." Connor stops, trying to figure out how to say what he needs to. "He collapsed in the stairwell. Stopped responding for several minutes. Several of his circuits are completely fried. Before I saw him...Hank, I believe..."  

Connor trails off again, the memory seeming to stop the words in his throat. 

"I believe...he...attempted to end his life." He finally forces out. 

Hank swerves violently, coughing with obvious shock. "He WHAT?!" 

Connor nods, too occupied in his thoughts to scold Hank for his reckless driving. "I went up to fetch Markus, after asking Josh where he might be, as he was late for his own party and I had to ask him some questions. Apparently, he's been stretching himself to the breaking point with work, not filling up properly with thiruim, never leaving his office except for conferences, etcetera. I'm not quite sure I believe this, but that's not important. Apparently, North is also AWOL. But when I got to the office, I was about to knock on the door when I heard this whispering. I know it was nosy of me, but I listened in and heard him saying things like  _I'm not good enough_ and  _I deserve to die._ Then, I heard theclick. Hank, it was the click of an unloaded gun. I think he forgot it wasn't loaded, because I heard him put it back. I-" Connor has gotten increasingly more panicked as the conversation continued, and it's starting to really freak Hank out. He cuts him off. 

"Jesus Christ, kid. Calm down. It's okay. He's alright, that's what matters. We'll figure out what's up with him." He says, attempting to reassure the android.  

Then, Hank groans in a realization  

"Fuck. He's a fucking Kamski prototype. That means the best thing to do would be paying that fucking hack a visit. Fuck me." 

Connor nods, much calmer now "I suppose so. I'm not too thrilled about the idea, but it's the best course of action." 

Hank grumbles in a complaint 

"Alright, well, first things first. Let's get to Jericho"

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, shit. Okay, hit me.” Says Hank, opening the car door and grunting as he lowers himself into the driver's seat.  
> Connor backhands Hank across the face.  
> I know I write androids very human, it's something I need to work on.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haven't updated in ages, so here's a short chapter that I took from what I'm working on. Thanks for the patience if you follow the story, I enjoy writing this so I'll try and update faster. I'm just not in the best state of mind, but I'm doing my best. I promise it gets more interesting ;). Thanks, friends.

 The remainder of the car ride back to Jericho is done in silence, with Hank focused solely on driving, and Connor tossing his coin from hand to hand, rolling it between his fingers. The metal is worn and all too familiar. It does a poor job of curbing his anxiety. His mind is whirring with possibilities, flicking from one idea to the next like a puppy on speed. Now that he is no longer working the case, solely focused on the task in front of him and its importance, he finds himself unintentionally thinking about the dilemma with Markus. When he scanned him, he’d gotten the self-diagnosis of Markus himself. A self-diagnosis is nothing to go by, as it could be entirely false or corrupted because of the state of mind of the patient, using rationality on a situation that requires a different frame of mind. But, as of right now, that is all Connor has. So, he thinks it over. Logically, it doesn’t make much sense. What could have happened to him? How could he have possibly... done that to himself? Worked himself so hard he began to malfunction? He's an android. Androids were built to work. Could it be... a side effect of his deviancy? New emotions mean new corruptions, and his lack of self-importance, always putting other people's problems above his own...  Connor begins to wonder what the real problem here actually is. 

By the time Hank finally pulls into Jericho’s parking lot, Connor wastes no time, yanking the door open and sprinting toward the entrance.He needs to see Markus. He’s desperate for something,  _anything_ to give him closure. He needs this to make sense. Hank is yelling something at him. Connor slows down, reluctantly stopping and waiting for Hank to catch up. 

“You can’t...jus’ run...off like that...” Hank says between wheezes “Whoo boy... I am not... as fit as I use to be...” 

He hands Connor the device, then puts his hands on his knees and continues to wheeze. Connor takes it, examining the exterior once more as if he hadn't already done so 12 times. The bright red button seems to burn into his optical processing units, imprinting its image permanently into his mind. It’s taunting him. He then realizes that he has once again become lost in thought, as Hank is speaking again.

“Thought you might...need this...was gonna give it to ya, b’fore... y’sprinted off like a bat outta hell...” grunts Hank, still out of breath, seemingly unfazed by Connor’s lack of remark.

Connor nods “Sorry. I guess I just got...overexcited.” he says 

“Just don’t go pressin’ that button”

“I won’t. I promise.”

The lieutenant grunts, shaking his head, then sharply inhales and begins walking toward the front doors of the building, gesturing for Connor to follow without turning his head. It’s unnecessary, as within seconds of doing so he sees Connor dashing once more across the lawn and toward the well-lit interior of New Jericho, his shoes crunching loudly against the frosted grass. Once he reaches the entrance, he yanks open the doors so forcefully Hank is sure they will fall off their hinges. But luckily, the doors stay attached and Connor has already disappeared from view by the time they shut.

 Hank chuckles quietly, enjoying the now silent, chilly, fresh night air for as long as possible. He stops and looks upward at the sky for just a moment. The moon is barely visible behind the cloud cover. Hank sighs, his breath lingering in the air behind him for several moments as he begins to walk away.

“Kids”

-

Connor is inside the building and mounting the stairs before he can register that there is yet another voice yelling his name frantically from behind him. He almost grunts in annoyance but composes himself so as not to be rude. He stops dead, turning around to see who it was that beckoned him. Simon is standing at the base of the stairway, looking quite distressed. He fidgets anxiously with his fingers, much as Connor would now do with his coin. Before it was just a function meant to build character and refine motor control, now a nervous tick. Emotions are a strange phenomenon. 

“Hello, Connor.”

“Hello, Simon. What seems to be the matter?”

“I... I have been instructed to make sure nobody goes upstairs, so as not to disturb Markus”

Connor feels his posture sink at the mention of Markus’s name. “I’m very sorry about my actions previously. I was not thinking straight. Is he doing quite badly, then?”

Simon sighs, some of the nervous energy dissipating from his posture and face. 

“He’s told us everything, after much prodding mind you. It’s quite lucky you happened upon him when you did. I’m not sure how much longer this could have gone on, considering...”

He trails off. Connor has a good idea of what he’s referring to.

“I understand. It’s the least I could do. I’ll stay down here with you if that is what is needed of me. ”

“Thank you, Connor. I appreciate your cooperation.”

In reality, every part of his body absolutely detests the idea. But if that’s what is best for Markus right now, Connor will comply without hesitation.

“The lieutenant will be in shortly. When he arrives, could you catch us up on what has happened since I left? We can swap information, as what we found at the crime scene is quite disturbing. I can’t quite figure out what might have happened. It’s all very strange.”

Simon purses his lips and nods “Of course. You do have a right to know just as much as anyone else. We’ll wait for Lieutenant Anderson, then I'll have to ask you to follow me somewhere more private.”

Connor nods. Several moments later, Hank walks through the doors.

He sees Connor standing near the bottom of the stairwell next to Simon, and gives him an inquisitive look. Connor walks briskly over to him, walking beside him back toward Simon. They explain to Hank everything that has been discussed between them. Hank agrees to join them in a more private space, and he and Connor follow Simon to a room beside the elevator. Inside, there is a long table with 6 chairs on either side and a whiteboard in front. Simon looks slightly sheepish.

“Is this okay? It’s just a meeting room, I thought it would do.”

Hank and Connor nod. 

Simon smiles “Perfect. Okay. Please, take a seat.” He says, gesturing to the empty seats on the opposite side than the one he has begun to sit down on.

Hank starts forward awkwardly, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Connor pulls out one next to him.

Simon folds his hands in front of him on the table, looking directly at the two detectives.

“So, at the moment, Markus is upstairs talking to Josh, and...North. They're sorting things out best they can, but something seems very...off with this whole...situation"

"How so?" says Connor, putting his hands on the table and leaning forward slightly, quite intently listening to Simon.

"Well, Markus's actions and thoughts are not exactly...normal Android behavior, as you may have noticed. I personally feel some...external forces may have had something to do with it."

"Are you tellin' me Markus was...hacked?" says Hank, leaning his weight on the arm of the chair.

"Yes, I do believe that may be the case. We'll need to run further diagnostics, but it seems quite possible"

"How the fuck?" Says Hank

Simon nods "My thoughts as well, but let me fill you in on everything that's happened, then you might understand why we think this."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, that was really short I know. Sorry, I'm really bad at writing long ones. I get distracted. And Markus is delusional because his circuits are damaged. In my thinking, this gives off a sort of mental illness or breakdown type of thing, until they can get the circuits fixed. But the fix takes time, thus mirroring the length of time recovery takes in a human. It's also why Markus's part seems to be slightly delusional and sloppy. Please, please, please let me know if I can fix anything, or you see any plotholes I could fix. Thank you :) I swear there's a reason for this, if something doesn't make sense now, I might know and it's explained later. Tell me anyway so I can fix it for your enjoyment.


End file.
